Director of Bands | Professor

Departments/Programs

Degree Information

Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (1998)

M.M., University of Utah (1992)

B.M., University of Utah (1984)

Areas of Expertise

Conducting
Wind Ensemble
University Chamber Winds

Biography

Dr. Reed Thomas is the Director of Bands and Professor of Music and Conducting at Middle Tennessee State University. His responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble and University Chamber Winds, teaching undergraduate courses in conducting and instrumental methods, graduate courses in conducting and wind and orchestral repertoire, and he guides all aspects of MTSU band program. He is the founding conductor of the Three Rivers Wind Symphony, a professional group of wind and percussion...

Dr. Reed Thomas is the Director of Bands and Professor of Music and Conducting at Middle Tennessee State University. His responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble and University Chamber Winds, teaching undergraduate courses in conducting and instrumental methods, graduate courses in conducting and wind and orchestral repertoire, and he guides all aspects of MTSU band program. He is the founding conductor of the Three Rivers Wind Symphony, a professional group of wind and percussion players from Northeast Indiana and was the Conductor of the Littleton Chamber Winds in Littleton, Colorado from 1997-99. He has been a guest conductor throughout the United States, South Korea, China, Brazil, Panama, Columbia, Costa Rica, Russia, and several European countries.

Dr. Thomas is an active conductor and clinician who has received praise and critical acclaim for his artistic interpretations, thorough preparation, and innovative programming from composers such as Nigel Clarke, Kit Turnbull, Jonathan Newman, DJ Sparr, Shafer Mahoney, Peter Fischer, Jamie Simmons, and Robert Bradshaw, and from solo performers such as Peter Skaevard Sheppard, Steve Houghton, Eddie Daniels, Jennifer Gunn, David Cooke, Jonathan Gunn, and She-e Wu for his interpretive conducting. His groups have been invited to perform at venues throughout the United States, China, South Korea, Panama and Costa Rica. Dr. Thomas is an avid supporter of new music, commissioning over 50 compositions since 2003. Dr. Thomas has two Compact Disc’s featuring the MTSU Wind Ensemble on the Naxos Label, the largest classical music label in the world; the critically acclaimed “Angel’s in the Architecture” and the recently released, “Earthrise.”

A native of Colorado, Dr. Thomas received his Ph.D. in Music with an emphasis in conducting from the University of Minnesota and both his Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Music Education from the University of Utah. Prior to his appointment at MTSU, he conducted at universities in Indiana and Colorado and was a public school Music Director at two high schools in Utah. Dr. Thomas is an active member of several associations including the College Band Directors National Association, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Kappa Kappa Psi and is an honorary member of the Costa Rican Band Directors Association, the Korean Band Association, the China Bandmasters Association, and the Asian Pacific Band Directors Association.

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